Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters.

I wanted to thank Just 2 Dream of You for reviewing the chapter. ^_^

It had been the day Yusuke had returned from Demon World. Shizuru watched the younger ones running around on the beach, peacefully chatting with Kurama. Kurama tensed for a moment and Shizuru could sense why. Hiei had unexpectedly returned and was waiting near Genkai's temple. The last thing Kurama had heard Hiei was planning to reside in Demon World. Shizuru shrugged and told the fox demon that Hiei probably just changed his mind.

When the others got back from the beach, Shizuru noticed that Yukina stayed behind a bit. Genkai ended up going back inside grumbling something about "too many insecurities." Shizuru didn't really care what she was talking about until she saw Yukina fighting her tears while trying to appear calm.

"Hey, kid," Shizuru greeted softly while putting her hand on Yukina's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"H-Hiei," Yukina told her. "He told me my brother was dead."

Shizuru didn't show it, but she was pissed off at the fire demon for lying to Yukina like this. "I'll be right back."

Shizuru found Hiei sitting up in a tree. He looked a little lost to her, staring up at the sky blankly. It was a pitiful sight. The fire demon didn't even seem to notice her so she just leaned up against the tree. She smirked when she heard him touch down behind her.

"Is there a reason you're stalking me?" Hiei growled.

Shizuru lit up a cigarette and took in a puff. "I wouldn't really call it stalking," she stated nonchalantly. "Now, maybe I should ask you why you stalk Yukina, or better yet, why you lied to her about her brother's whereabouts."

Hiei's eyes widened, but Shizuru wasn't looking at him. Though he was shocked, his voice sounded angry. "I did no such thing," he lied. "She asked me to look for her brother; I couldn't find him; he's dead. End of story."

"So I take it I'm talking to a ghost right now, then," Shizuru said looking over to him. His calm expression masked his irritation.

"Excuse me?" he asked, trying to play dumb. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Then why don't you use your Jagan to figure it out?" Shizuru grumbled. "Isn't that what you use to read people's minds?"

"I don't need to read your mind," Hiei growled. "I know what you are implying, and you are wrong."

Shizuru rolled her eyes. "Four years ago Yusuke brought a video tape YOU handed to him over to my house. My brother left before we heard a certain part. Yukina had been kidnapped by that thug, and the reason it was a high priority case is because she was your sister."

Hiei muttered a curse and then glared at Shizuru. "If you tell her, you die."

"Please," Shizuru responded. "If I wanted to tell her, I would have already. Just so you know, she's devastated by your lie. I hate seeing her like that. I bet you do too."

"Hn," Hiei responded as he looked away from the elder Kuwabara. "She'll get over it."

"No," Shizuru told him. "She will never get over it, Hiei. You don't get over losing…or almost losing…a sibling. But I guess you wouldn't understand that if you're willing to leave her like this. So I pose the question, what the hell are you still doing here?"

"Nothing," Hiei answered her. He was about to run off when Shizuru called out to him.

"She's always going to be here, but the longer you wait to tell her, the worse it'll be when you finally get over whatever your fear is."

Hiei paused his movements and flashed her a glance over his shoulder. That was the first time someone told him exactly what he needed to hear.

A couple months went by since Yusuke had returned. According to Kazuma, Yusuke and Keiko were finally dating. Shizuru smiled when he told her. It was about damn time. Keiko had been put through hell over the last four years, not that the others hadn't been, but it was different for someone who wasn't spiritually aware.

Summer was coming to a close and Kazuma would be leaving for college in a nearby town. Shizuru was pretty proud of her little brother for finally making something of himself. It sucked that she pretty much had to bribe him to do his work in high school, but it was all for the best.

"You shouldn't leave your windows unlocked when you're sitting home alone," she heard a voice she hadn't heard in a while say.

"Just my luck," she muttered as she turned to face the stoic fire demon. "Really, Hiei, breaking and entering? That's a new one."

"Hn," he replied. For him it wasn't really a new skill. He just never broke into a human's house. He didn't even know why he was there. Well, he kind of did.

"How's Yukina?" he asked, all concern kept out of his voice.

"Why come to me?" Shizuru asked putting her magazine down. "Why not go and stalk her again?"

"There is always someone around her that she tries to appease," Hiei answered. "I can't tell if she is truly okay or not."

"What do you think, Hiei?" Shizuru retorted. "How do you think she is doing? A few months ago you told her that her brother, who she's been searching for all these years, is dead. Of course she's acting like things are okay. No one knows about what happened except for Yukina, Genkai, and me."

"You didn't tell the fox?" Hiei asked in surprise.

"What would that accomplish?" Hiei looked away from her, slightly ashamed. Shizuru sighed. "Look, I can't even begin to understand what's going on inside your head, but I can tell you about Yukina." Hiei looked over to her, a little hope shining in his eyes. That's when she noticed how exhausted he looked. She shrugged it off, not thinking much of it. "Just sit down." He grunted, but complied.

Shizuru explained to Hiei what Yukina had been going through the last few months. The young ice maiden was crushed, as she told him before, about his announcement. She also felt guilt, for both her brother's death and for chasing Hiei off. Hiei felt guilty when he heard that. He had no idea that Yukina would blame herself for things that she played no hand in.

"She's confused and hurt, Hiei," Shizuru stated. "What did you think would happen if you told her that and just disappeared?"

"I was hoping she'd let it go," Hiei admitted. "If her brother is dead, then she can let him go. As for me leaving, she shouldn't feel any connection to me."

"Well she does. You two are twins, right? Of course she's going to know, on some level, that you are her brother."

"If she ever found out, she would resent me," Hiei whispered. He didn't even realize he had said it out loud.

"I think she'd be happy," Shizuru said in response.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Hiei growled. "Stop."

"Doing what?" Shizuru smirked when he glared at her. "You mean saying something positive, or telling the truth?"

"Both."

Shizuru just shrugged at him. "Not gonna happen. Besides someone has to be honest with you."

"And you're taking it upon yourself to do so?" Hiei snapped.

Shizuru flashed him a look of pity before reaching for her magazine again. His hand stopped her. She looked into his eyes that seemed to be studying her and asking "why?" "Someone has to."

They stared at each other for a few minutes before Hiei disappeared. Shizuru just rolled her eyes. "Damn temperamental fire demons…"